Isle of Wight · England
Festival Paella Catering for Southford events
Looking for festival paella catering in Southford? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Open days and community events
- Village fêtes and summer fairs
- Farmers’ and Christmas markets
Live festival paella catering in Southford
Festival paella catering in Southford, made fresh on the day
Paella in a bowl is perfect festival food, on the move or on a picnic rug. We cook vegan paella, giant-pan paella and seafood paella, and typical bookings are for charity and school events and village fêtes.
At a field event near Southford, power and water may be limited; let us know and we will plan for it. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Location
- Southford (PO38)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Special diets
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Also available
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Southford questions
Is Southford too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Which station should guests use for Southford?
Shanklin station, about 4.5 miles north-east of the centre.
Do you clear up afterwards?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Do you cook it at the event?
Yes, always. Every paella is cooked from scratch on site, where your guests can watch.
Can you serve tapas as well?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
Do you have vegan options at events?
Yes, always. There is a vegan pan next to the others.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
What about pudding?
Yes. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
What’s in the pans
Seafood paella
A seafood pan with prawns and mussels.
Giant paella pans
A pan the size of a cartwheel, full of saffron rice.
Towns and villages near Southford
Other catering in Southford
The process
We get there well before serving, set up the cooking area and get the stock going. Your guests are welcome to watch as the paella takes shape. Evening events in Southford have light until about 9:20pm at midsummer; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- First, we check the dates.
- We agree what we will serve and where.
- Burners and pans go up.
- The first pans are ready as visitors arrive.
- We serve, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Share the running order, including any speeches
Getting a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Waiting and bar staff
- The number of people
- Whether you need crockery
- The paellas you choose
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Details that help
The more we know about your event, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Which courses you have in mind
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Expected numbers
It is easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
Perfect for your event in Southford
It feeds crew and volunteers well.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Sports clubs and race days
- County and country shows
- Summer fairs and fêtes
- Charity and school events
For visitors coming by rail, Shanklin station is about 4.5 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- The wet-weather plan
- VAT, if it applies
- How long the team stays
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Organising for someone else?
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so everyone eats promptly. Let us know how long the food break is.
Planning the cooking area
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
- The event’s site rules and timings
- Spacing from tents and other structures
For somewhere as remote as Southford, early notice helps us plan the trip.
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
On the menu in Southford
- Tapas
- Vegan paella
- Churros
- Giant paella pans
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Seafood paella
Live paella or other catering?
Most street food is cooked one order at a time. Paella is cooked in big batches and served from the pan, keeping queues short. Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why us?
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- A quote that spells everything out
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Fast service from the pan
Southford events: pitches and permissions
Southford is about 6 miles south of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. From the centre of Southford to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Southford is one of 125 towns and villages in the Isle of Wight we cover. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 22 miles away.
If you’re organising a summer fair or fundraiser for a school such as The Island Free School, a paella stall is a crowd-pleaser. Running a fête for a church like Church of St. Mary and St. Radegund? A paella pan draws people in. With the sea within about 4 miles, we plan shelter from the wind for coastal events, and seafood paella sells well by the sea.
We cover events in every part of PO38. Neighbouring places where we cater events include Bierley (1 mile south-west), Nettlecombe (1 mile south-east), Godshill (2 miles north), Wroxall (2 miles east) and Sandford (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Newport (6 miles north), Ryde (9 miles north-east), Cowes (10 miles north), Sandown (6 miles north-east), Shanklin (4 miles east) and Ventnor (3 miles east). For an event at a remote venue, tell us early so we can plan the journey.
Other landmarks nearby include Blackgang Sawmill Museum (2.2 miles south-west) and Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (4.5 miles north-east). Open spaces near Southford include Stenbury Down.
- Nearby, you’ll find The White Horse Inn (0.7 miles south-east)
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff